Georges coflon



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. COULON.,

BOLT FOR CONNECTING RAILS FOB PERMANENT WAYS. No. 394,098. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

FlC 2.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. GOULON.

BOLT POE CONNECTING RAILS FOE PERMANENT WAYS. No. 394,098. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

F165. F16. 4. F165.

11 W I W W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGES COULON, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

BOLT FOR CONNECTING RAILS FOR PERMANENT WAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,098, dated December 4, 1888.

Ap li ti fil d March 13, 1888. Serial No. 267,078. No model.) Patented in France October 8, 1885, No. 171,553, and in England April 6, 1886, No. 4,821.

To all whom it may concerri:

Be it known that I, GEORGES C OULON, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, in France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bolts for Connectin g Rails t'orPermanent \Vays, (for which I have obtained a patient in England, No. 4,821, dated April 0, 1886, and a patent in France, No. 171,554), dated October 8, 1885, with patents of addition,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvementin bolts for connecti n rails for perm an ent ways; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 is a front elevation of rails connected according to my system. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken on the line :10 y, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are elevations of the differ ent sides of the bolt. Figs. 6 and 7 show the cotter with two branches in elevation and plan.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, it will be seen that the bolt A, which may be either cylindrical or of other suitable cross-section, has a head, A, of any convenient form and is of equal thickness throughout. Near the end of the bolt are formed two slots or recesses in the following manner: On the side Z the part D, which separates the recesses, is broader than the corresponding part, E, of the side Z. In respect to their height the two sides F and G may be parallel as regards themselves, but inclined in respect to the axis of the bolt. The slots B B are intended to receive the branches 6 e of the cotter C, Figs. (3 and 7, Which branches, being taper, fit exactly the edge F of the slot in consequence of the similarity of their form. The ends of the branches are rounded off, so as to afford an easy entrance.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the junction of the rails is completed by means of fish-plates, upon one of which, .1, rests the head of the bolt, this plate being flat on its surface, while the other, J, placed on the other side of the rail, has formed in it a longitudi- 5o nal groove, K, through which pass the shanks of the bolts A, the sides of the groove serving to keep the cotters C in a horizontal position.

From the foregoing description the method of effecting the junction will be readily understood. The two extremities of the rails P P being placed together, with the usual allowance for expansion, the fish-plates J J, bored to correspond with the end of the rails in order to receive the bolts, are placed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bolts A are passed through the holes, the heads A hearing uponthetlat plate, while the slotted ends project beyond the grooved plate .1, against which rest the forked cotters The latter are then inserted in the groove K of the plate .1, and their branches with rounded ends passed over the slotted extremities of the bolts, nothing more being required to insure a perfect fastening than to drive up thehead of the cotter by means of any suitable tool. From this it results that under the effect of the driving in of the cotter the two branches of the latter are compressed at their interior base at the two points on and n opposite the two slots formed on the sides of the bolt. By continuing to drive in the cotter the friction of the bolt upon the two arms of the cotter causes them to describe an arc of a circle, and in consequence to tit themselves tightly to the conical faces l3 5 of the bolt with a converting motion. Simultaneously the friction of the bolt has, as will be seen at O in Fig. 2, more or less drawn the cotter into the bolt-holes, thus compelling the ends of the branches to turn up, as seen in the drawings. It results from this that by the mere driving in of the cotter two movements occur at the same time: first, the closing of the branches upon the converging faces of the bolts, as seen in Fig. 1; second, the outward bending of the branches, as seen in Fig. 2. These two movements combined render the cotter immovable.

I claim The combination, with the bolt consisting of a suitable head and a shank provided with tWo transverse slots having converging faces and sides inclined parallel with each other,

of the fastening device consisting of a cotter having two arms or branches adapted to fit 5 in said slots of the bolt, in the manner substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGES COULON.

Witnesses:

J. ROBELET, L. NULLEGEs. 

